Breaking Glass
by Nockbird
Summary: Arsinoë is just another kittypet that lives in Crystal Oak. Everything is calm and she's content. But when other cats start having strange dreams and her family starts to disappear? She knows that something is wrong. And she's going to find out what.
1. Prologue

**Breaking Glass**

**By Butterfliee**

A/N: Thank you for taking time to read my story! I really appreciate it. I have to admit though; I've barely finished any stories. The only stories I've finished have been school projects, so I had to do 'em fast. And they were pretty awful too. I always say a writer must not be rushed. =D I've finished two good stories that weren't fan fiction, and also, this. It is fan fiction, just so ya know. R&R, Butterfliee...

DISCLAIMER: Erm, only Leafstar. I don't own her. She is Erin Hunter's character, and the kit's stories are too. I don't own them either. They are also by Erin Hunter.

Prologue

A blinding light. Crackle, boom, and rumble... It's all in a different world. I'm just watching. I have no part in it. The lightning, the thunder. A yowl filled the air, and the air crackled with newfound energy. A tiny, delicate looking cream and brown tortoiseshell lay on her side, every breath slowing as blood trickled from the corners of her mouth. She slowly surveyed her surroundings. It was a clearing of tall, windy grass. Windy grass....

Her dark blue eyes fluttered open and closed. Her ears swiveled back and forth cautiously. She almost gasped, not in surprise but horror as a blindingly light figure padded out of the undergrowth. It smirked, satisfied, and padded to the tortoiseshell's rising and falling side. Her voice rang in the tiny cat's ears. She only said one thing, her voice strong and clear.

"You never, ever mess with my family and get away with it." She hissed, and raked her long, spindly, sharp claws down the tortoiseshell's side. Then it smirked again and disappeared completely into the mist. The rain pounded down, stirring up thoughts. The small cat's eyes stayed open, blinking quickly, as the rain whispered secrets to her. As the tall grass repeated the figure's words over and over. As the leaves on the tall oak and maple trees cried sadly for the scarlet blood that had been shed.

She let out a pained moan and shuddered as a tall black tabby with dark blue eyes like the tortie raced through the tall grass, hurt and heart-broken. He yowled in pain when he saw his sister and collapsed at her bleeding side, breathing heavily. He held his breath as she stiffened and, slowly but still painfully, she turned her head towards him, her pelt and eyes blazing with light.

"I didn't do it." She whispered, and I let out my last breath.

***

Lightning. Thunder. Rain. The smell of crowfood being washed away. The pain, the pain. The pain. The cool comfort of the tall grass. The whistling of the wind. More pain. More pain. More pain. A silent whisper, a flicker of hope. The feeling that your heart is being shattered. The pain. My pain. Shattered into millions of tiny pieces, not able to ever be put back together again. Like the fine china. Like the flowerpot that little Moonkit broke. Flowers. The smell of flowers mixed with unimaginable pain. Hard to regain thoughts. Thoughts. Mind. Mine pain. It's funny how it takes over. The pain that overwhelms me. And one last thought, the whisper of a thought, the whisper of my heart. I whispered it out loud. "I didn't do it." I promise you, I didn't do it.

I felt my heart stop and then start again. I opened my eyes to see nothing. Simply light all around me. I looked in front of me. A cat was appearing in front of me. He was a tom, gray and white. His blue eyes looked cruel and accusing. I knew instantly that I was in Starclan. A tear rolled down my cheek fur as two tunnels appeared behind him. One led to a forest of light. The other led to the Dark Forest. You couldn't see anything but darkness. The tom took a step towards me, trying not to hiss.

"The dark forest and the light forest." He practically hissed, "Which one will it be? Do you want to prove your innocence or avenge your death?" More tears spilled out from my overflowing eyes, and I looked at him with a burning flame of hatred burning inside me. My voice was barely a whisper, "Prove my innocence." He didn't hear me. My voice grew louder and stronger. "The light forest. I want to prove my innocence."

***

The young black tabby cat lay horrified. He pressed his warm nose to her cold nose, wet from rain, and unmoving. He could almost hear her last scattered, sad thoughts. She was innocent. He knew it. But Starclan didn't. His mind was aroused with a new hate, a hunger he couldn't control. It overpowered him and took over his mind, soul and body. Vengeance. That's what he was created for.

A/N: So, I am hoping you liked it! I'll post the next chapter up soon!!!!


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you, Brightstar's Promise! =D My first and awesome review. I couldn't help but put the first chapter up. I was thinking about the story all day, and I decided to add it this morning. ^-^

Chapter 1 (I'm on a different comp, so the layout may be different….)

A small and strong female cat stretched her long, gangly legs on the cold stone steps and tried to resume her peaceful nap. The tiny cat's glossy, cream-colored pelt shimmered in the multi-colored dawn light, muscles rippling. He dark blue eyes blinked slowly, contented but tired from her night with the garden and those terrifying nightmares. She sighed deeply and then a twig cracked. She shot up and her eyes flew open in surprise and eagerness to protect her territory. I winced guiltily. Another hard twig snapped underneath my paws as I tried to pull away.

"Tri!" I called out from my spot in the den woodlands, "It's only me, Arsi! I need major help!" She settled down and rolled her eyes, sitting down. Her tail waved back and forth in… something I couldn't recognize.

"Where are you, Arsi?" She mewed, her voice riddled with irritation and annoyance. I blushed underneath my light, swirling tabby fur.

"In the woodlands, without my neck belt. I lost it a little while back while I was looking for Helios. I haven't seen him all day. Anyway, my neck fur is hopelessly tangled in the bramble patch Athena found." I called back, my eyes closed and guilty. I heard a muffled laugh and opened my eyes, finding myself nose to nose with Tryphaena.

"Silly Arsinoe." She mewed, mockingly, "Didn't Mother ever teach you to sniff before you move, you clumsy kitten?" Her eyes twinkled with a teasing glint. I grinned back as she touched her sharp white teeth to my light brown fur. They slowly pulled my fur from the just as sharp brambles, taking large chunks of my fur with it. I hissed quietly as she tore a chunk from my shoulder. Pain shot through my left side and I looked back mournfully at the bare patch of skin on my shoulder. Tri grinned at me, her dark blue eyes glittering maliciously. I rolled my eyes and flexed my claws, stepping out of the brambles. Her eyes hardened as she looked at my unscratched, stone-hard paws. They were utterly untouchable. It's just another quality that my brother and I had inherited from Father that my sisters didn't. I diverted her attention with the flick of my tail and the clever dropping of my jaws.

"Omigosh, Tri!" I mewed in pretend disbelief, of course, I already knew it, "I think Tristan and Derick are back!" She blinked in pure surprise, than again in excitement.

"I'll see you later, Arsi!" She mewed, "I have some very important business to attend to urgently." She purred, "Preferably flirting with Tristan." She sidestepped the brambles swiftly and disappeared out of the woodlands, racing over to Tristan & Derick's house. I sighed and padded around the woodlands patch, my paws pounding the earth as I raced in circles. I felt free.

Well, you know, they aren't really woodlands. It's a tiny patch, no-fur den sized, between two houses. Phoenix said that there was a fire there and the no-fur den burner to Cinders and Ashes. That was a pun. Get it? Eh… I don't suppose you do. Two cats live where the house used to be. There's a gray and white tabby, Ashes, he's a tom, and a pretty solid grey she-cat with light golden brown eyes. Her name is Cinders. They both lived in that house, and they both gained and lost something. Ashes gained fire burns, and Cinders gained wisdom. Ashes completely and totally lost his mind, muttering under his breath about big scary fire cats and cats that own the stars, while Cinders lost her voice. She just lost her willpower to speak. But my niece, Selene, speaks for her.

My sister, Cleo (pronounced Kuh-lay-oh), and mother of Selene, Athena, and Helios is Cinders' best friend. Oaken is Aberenice's best fr- err, ahem, boyfriend (they're not mates yet, and upwalkers call them boyfriend and girlfriend. weird, huh?), and Tryphaena's is who ever she wants to backstab and heartbreak next. Melded together, that makes… Backbreaker! Only I call her that. And Tristan does too. But only he can get away with it. When he says it, she laughs like a kit and says, 'Oh, Tristan!' And her eyes go all lovey-dovey. And when I say it, she glares at me, gives me the look, and ignores me. I mean, seriously, how kittish is that?

I froze. I could smell a cat approaching me; it was a cat with a different smell. I'd never seen heard, or smelled them before. It was a tom. He smelled curious, not cautious. I looked to the side. Large light blue eyes met my own eyes. I hissed in surprise and pedaled backwards. I groaned in submission as my fur met the tangling thorns of the brambles.

The tom purred in pure amusement. I snarled weakly, and then relented. He was obviously the only cat that could get me out of this mess.

"I suppose you want me to help you?" The tom teased, his eyes twinkling.

"Maybe." I mewed defiantly, "And maybe not." He had a white chest, muzzle, front paws, and tail tip. The rest was a light, light orange. He stepped towards and swiftly unsheathed a claw. I gulped and tried to move away, but I was hopelessly stuck. He raised his paw and I prepared myself for the blow.

_Slash! _He cut through my fur and the brambles and I felt myself becoming untense, and the flame of relief burning. I let out a breath I hadn't known that I was holding and stepped out of the woodlands patch. He padded after me. I turned around and stopped in the middle of Phoenix's driveway. I glared at him. He grinned back.

"What do you want?" I sighed, digging my claws into the cold black gravel.

"Let me introduce myself- " I stopped him, looking at his annoyingly knowing grin, "So hurry up already! My little brother is back from the Unknowns!" I glared at him. His nose twitched in annoyance. He was loosing it already. Man, am I good or what?

"My name is Chile. Nice to meet you too, Arsinoe, It's been a pleasure." He laughed as my jaws crashed open and he sped into a backyard, disappearing. I blinked slowly and closed my mouth.

"Jerk face." I muttered, and padded onto Derick's front porch.

A/N: Voila! Chapter One! I hope ya looooove it. =)


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I scratched on the first door twice and let out a shrill, glass-shattering yowl. Derick poked his head out of the tiny opening. I gave him an affectionate lick on the shoulder and purred loudly.

"Hey, Squirt!" I mewed. Derick's identical light tabby fur met mine as he slipped out.

"Guess what, Arsi?" He mewed excitedly, his dark blue eyes flashing and darting side to side. The only feature we didn't share. I have light, swirling blue-green eyes. I flicked his ear with the tip of my tail in response.

"What, mouse-brain? What now?" I purred in amusement at the level of his excitement. He blinked twice, indignantly.

"The Upwalkers got a new cat while we were in the Unknown! Here, I'll go get him!" Derick disappeared through the door before I could say even a syllable. I had a feeling that I knew who the new cat was… Derick poked his head out of the tiny opening again, and slithered out swiftly. His tail was wrapped around a white and orange muzzle. Like those Upwalker bars that they eat. I smirked at Chile. Derick didn't seem to notice, and dragged his out, Chile struggling furiously.

"Arsinoe," He mewed, "This is Chiny." I burst out in laughter at Derick's mistake and at 'Chiny' 's helplessness by a _kit_. He slowly worked his way out of Derick's firm grasp he stood up tall and took a deep breath.

"Arsinoe, I a-," He began politely, and then stopped as a blue-eyed tortoiseshell she-cat raced up to us, her eyes frightened and filled with worry. She opened her mouth to speak, "Arsi! Arsi!" She called in a panicked, slightly guilty voice, "Helios is still gone! I haven't seen him for days!" I licked Clao (like Kuh-lay-oh)'s shoulder comfortingly.

"Calm, Clee." I mewed quietly, and padded down the steps. They all looked at me questionably. I laughed. "Aren't you coming? We have to find Helios!" Chile nodded and padded down the steps. You could practically see the wheels in his mind turning. Derick hesitated and padded down with Cleo, who's fur was ruffled and her back was arched. We could all tell that she was frightened down to every bone in her body. Tryphaena was resting on the now warm stone steps of her Upwalker's den with her tail curled around her, and her eyes half closed. I decided not to bother her. She looked like she was in heaven.

Derick ran up and pounced on her, calling her name. She yowled out in anger and unsheathed her claws, looking around her, blinking. I smirked. "Hey Tri!" I mewed. She blinked again and sheathed her claws.

"You almost gave me a heart attack." She grumbled, sliding off the steps and padding over. Derick shrugged at me and I mewed, "Helios is gone." Tryphaena's mouth dropped open, and her eyes swiveled to tiny points of bubbling anger.

"You… woke me… for THAT?" She asked, gasping, trying to control her biting flames of anger. I glared at her, "Did you not hear me?" I asked in a steely tone, "Helios, your nephew, is missing. He's been missing for nearly a quarter moon now." Tryphaena gaped again and grumbled something under her breath. "What?" I asked in the same steely tone. She ignored me, "I'll go get Tristan." She said icily, and padded to the side of the house, disappearing into the back-field of Tristan's Upwalker den.

Everyone was staring at me. I smiled back, my eyes softening and losing their steely-ness. Tryphaena appeared from her back-field, towing behind her, a handsome dark brown tabby tom with light amber eyes. He looked just the smallest bit alarmed, and slowly padded up to Clee with a somber look in his eyes and nodded.

Tristan's Point of View

I could feel the heat and anger radiating off of my best friend. I rolled my eyes. Sometimes Fay could get a little too puffed up and full of herself. Clee looked at me sorrowfully. She needed to be with Tri for now. Maybe she could calm her down.

"Clee and Tri, you both take the big field. Search everywhere, and watch out for the water spitters, rabbit holes, and Upwalker kits. Derick and Chile, search Helios' house and get information from the wild cats that live in town. Arsi and I will search the jungle and the old ruins." Arsi nodded firmly. Chile seemed a little disappointed with the arrangements and I nudged him playfully. He grinned back at me, but it seemed fake.

"Hey, Tris!" Arsi called. I turned around. She was sitting in a patch of golden sunlight by the forest den patch. Her warm ice blue eyes twinkled, and I held my breath. She was a light brown with swirling dark brown markings all over. Her paws, muzzle and tail were tipped with a rich, dark brown almost like the markings but deeper. She was saying something but I couldn't listen. I followed her into the forest quietly, swishing my tail this way and that. I couldn't smell Helios that well, but I could faintly smell the scent of Chile, and the strong scent of Arsi. They must have been here before. That pig. I growled quietly under my breath. Arsinoe turned around expectantly.

"Was that you, Tristan?" She asked lightly, her eyes darting around. I tried to smile back.

"Yeah. Sorry if I scared you, Arsi." She shook her head to show that she wasn't, and beckoned me with the tip of her tail. She melded in with the vines and brambles and disappeared. I prowled through the undergrowth slowly after her.

"I found something!" Arsinoe yowled, sounding nervous and devastated. I swiftly padded over to her and sniffed the vile smelling air. There were three cats. The first two were smelly and angry. The third one had come later. They smelled kind but cautious. But there was one thing out of place that I didn't want there. That no one wanted there. Helios' blood.

A/N: Yay! Cliffie! Sorry, I haven't had much time to update! But I will soon. I'm going away for half a month, so you'll be very lucky if I update before that for all of you. Remember, reviews make moi happy! ^^ Hope ya luv it!  Plz review, Chansonbird…


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